Covid-19--The world has changed

Throughout the world we are all facing big changes in our life.Many are on self-quarantine; many are staying
home because their state has been put on lock-down and all of us are trying to
avoid getting this flu.

It has hit Zimbabwe.We have 5 confirmed cases—1 death and 1
doctor at Harare Hospital, in Zimbabwe.They supposedly have only tested 150 people and as all of you are aware
the results take 5+ days. The tests are only available in Harare.

We have few test kits in the country, no PPE
and so nurses started a country wide strike today which means most hospitals
are totally shut down.Our local
district hospital—which is our only other hospital in the district besides
us—sent a message today to not send any patients as they were closed!With no PPE you can’t blame people who make
little money stopping work.We hope it
will cause some action from the government and not for them to continue to be
quiet!

We do have PPE here thanks to many donations
from the US that has been sent in our containers over the years because they expired!How can a mask expire?Now they wish they had them back!!

I have been busy this past week working on
protocols and how we are to handle this Covid-19 at the hospital.My doctors and Major ordered me to stay away
from patients and the hospital.I come
up at 0700 to do internet (only available at hospital) and do some office work
and then usually home by 10 or 11.Trying
to encourage staff and make decisions as issues come up.

On Sunday we met for church but met outside and
tried social distancing which is very difficult!At night church at the hospital we used the
whole courtyard to spread out!We are
thinking we may have to close by this Sunday and unfortunately no streaming for
our members!

Sunday after church, I went with Major and
Patience to Batanai to relax for the afternoon there.No visitors came, and I was napping and
reading the whole afternoon.After
dinner we drove home and hit a big rainstorm all the way home.We needed the rain!Crops are still growing!Unfortunately, Batanai didn’t get any rain
that night when it rained so hard at Chidamoyo!

We started the week by making big changes at
the hospital. On Monday we were overwhelmed with patients and they did not co-operate with social distancing!Our clinic is now an
ER—only seeing Maternity patients, emergencies and refill of HIV/Diabetic/ TB
and Hypertension medicines and then those with Respiratory conditions and
fevers segregated off to be seen in a tent.We let 3 people in at a time in the gate and all departments have no
more than 3 patients at a time.

We are encouraging people to stay home with
their families and only come for emergencies to the hospital.Unfortunately, in Zimbabwe we have a few
ventilators in Harare and limited electricity outside of Harare so we can only
provide oxygen care.We are looking at a
catastrophe if we don’t stop this now!

We are working with limited staff to not expose
our staff so much and our inpatient wards had only 12 today—5 wounds and 7
maternity patients.C/Sections and
deliveries are continuing.Fractures are
being fixed and TB diagnosed.

We are feeding patient care givers and have
cancelled all visiting hours.This is
very hard for our community to understand and many people are saying we are
mean and punishing them.Please pray for
their understanding.

We are feeding our staff lunch so they, don’t
have to go home and come back.They are
working 12 hour shifts now and we bought groceries for 3 weeks yesterday for
the hospital and home, so we don’t have to send our driver to town.

As of Thursday (26th) 1/3 of
government staff were sent home for 2 weeks and by Monday it may be a total
lockdown.No use to go anywhere as
everything but grocery stores are closing.Banks are mostly closed, schools closed 2 weeks early on Tuesday this
week and buses and combis are not moving much. No diesel or petrol available in Karoi! that helps people not go anywhere when there is no fuel. The US can use that idea!

Seeing a lot of news on CNN, reading and
baking.Major is enjoying all the baking
as I don’t keep it here since I will not have visitors for a while.

We have a lot of added expenses because of this
but God is providing.Thank you for your
notes of encouragement and prayers for our safety and health.Pray for our country as we pray for all of
you.May this bring many people to turn
to God for their strength and to calm their fears.God is more powerful than all of this. Pray for encouragement and for people to stay home!

Things still hot here!

Social distancing Zimbabwe style

Church services last Sunday

Trying social distancing

Monday overcrowding

Putting up plastic to protect staff dealing with patients

Our OPD working outside with 3 patients at a time

New social distancing at the hospital

Patients outside the fence

Isolation tents for respiratory patients

Tents to do vital signs under

Canopies for patients outside the fence to have shade in the heat!

Our new uniform--N-95 mask

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Comments

Well done, Kathy and Major, for keeping Chidamoyo Hospital open in this time of crisis. Thanks for the update. Praying for our Heavenly Father’s protection and guidance for you, the staff, and the patients.

It's wonderful to see how well you're doing. Sorry to hear Karoi's out of fuel. We'll definitely pray the people understand you're not punishing them. I've seen 4 covid pts, although 1 tests negative repeatedly. It's pretty widely known some tests have 30% false neg rate. 2 of them were younger, mid 30s and mid 20s otherwise healthy (no asthma)and after several days got hypoxic and within the week needed a vent. For what it's worth, the extra ivf seems to cause harm. Laying prone/belly down greatly improves oxygenation (per NYC doctors' observations). The early expert advice is no steroids but the 2 pts I described had CRP levels >300 (should be <3) so inflammation is literally above the lab's upper limit measurable and if I were in your situation I'd still hit any resp distress with big decadron or pred or whatever you have early. Miss you and Mereki family bunches.

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